edenhana

Pak Choy

A fast-growing Asian brassica good for stir-fries; thin seedlings early to give heads room to bulk up.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
25cm
Harvest
Ready in 40-55 days
Difficulty
beginner
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
1 plant per harvest, or cut leaves repeatedly
Cost to grow
~$5 NZD
Grocery value
~$20 NZD
Companion plants
Beetroot, Celery, Onion, Potatoes
Plants to avoid nearby
Strawberries, Tomatoes, Pole beans
Common diseases
Clubroot
Common pests
Cabbage white butterfly caterpillar, Aphids, Slugs and snails

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: February-September. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: March-April and August-September. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: March and September.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Fast to germinate given warm soil, often within a week
    • Keep soil consistently moist for even germination
    • Slugs and snails can target seedlings as soon as they emerge

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Thin seedlings early to give heads room to bulk up
    • Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars can target soft young leaves
    • Clubroot risk if grown in soil where other brassicas have recently been

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Aphids can build up on new leaves
    • Cabbage white caterpillars remain a risk through this stage, check leaf undersides
    • Bolts quickly in hot, dry weather, so keep watering consistent

  4. Harvest40-55 days from sowing

    • Ready fast, from about 40-55 days
    • Can be harvested whole or by cutting outer leaves repeatedly for a longer picking window
    • Slugs and snails can still damage outer leaves right up to harvest

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